MEAT EXPORT.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 June 1921, Page 5

MEAT EXPORT.

TARANAKI FARMERS’ WORKS. PAST SEASON REVIEWED. VALUE OF MEAT SHIPPED. During (ho present export season frozen .r.oat to the yalue of £135,000 has been sent to overseas markets by the 'Taranaki Farmers’ Meat Comp:'.: " from their Smart Road works. This represents the f.o.b. value at New Plymouth of 90,600 freight carcases, of which 53,900 was Government commandeer meat and 36,700 comprised” the company’s own consignments.

These figures include the cargo which is being loaded on the Waimate, now in port. Further shipments in sight are 10,000 freight carcases by the Suffolk and 10,000 by the Peshawar, both of these liners being scheduled to load at New Plymouth. Stocks on hand after the Peshawar loading will amount to 60,000 freight carcases, and space has been applied for 12,500 carcases, leaving 48,000, which the company hope to clear from the works in four monthly shipments from August to November inclusive.

An interesting review of the company’s operations during the killing season, which ended on May 20, was given by the manager (Mr. H. B. Gray) in the course of conversation with a Daily News representative yesterday. The company began killing on January 4, after having been delayed by labor troubles, as it had been hoped to make a start in the previous month (December). Up till May 20,.when the period ended, the following stock had been dealt with at the works:—Sheep, 56,>186 (a decrease of 36,176 compared with the previous season); lambs 32,688 (increase of 14,307); cattle 6296 (decrease of 5715); calves 164 (increase of 23). Counting cattle as ten and sheep, lambs, and calves as one, the figures show an equivalent decrease of 78,996, or a percentage of 34. The comparison with the previous season makes the decrease seem big in some respects, but it has to bo noted that 1920 was a record season for'the company, the output i>eing 30 per cen s t above any previous year.

A TRYING SEASON. Representatives of the trade generally anticipated that the season which has just closed would be one in which many difficulties ‘would arise, and it proved a particularly trying one. In the case of the Taianaki company, the decrease in the nnjjiber of sheep and cattle dealt with was due to many circumstances. Firstly there was the late start, and next, and perhaps most important, is the fact that during what would have been the height of the season, the markets for freezing companies’ products were so unsettled that it was deemed advisable to considerably restrict killing. With the exception of beef there had been a fairly brisk demand from forward buyers in London for frozen meat, but this ceased practically altogether about the end of February, and the company was reluctantly compelled to restrict operations.

The increase in the number of lambs dealt with is regarded as a satisfactory feature, although the quality of this class of stock which the company handled was by no means up to the standard of that in works in the Wellington province. As a matter of fact only about 38 per cent were graded first quality. An important step in the history of the company is that its meat is going on to the open market for the first time since the inception of the works: Particular care has, therefore, been exercised in the grading, more especially as the product of the Taranaki Fanners’ works will have to compete with brands that have been long established on the London market. Although general operations at Smart Road works have ceased it has been arranged to continue the public sales of fresh meat. AMPLE SHIPS IN SIGHT.

Owing to the waterside labor dispute early in the season the shij pihg, facilities were by no means satisfactory, but at the present time there is ample shipping in sight. The company’s manager expects that the works will be cleared before next season commences towards the end of this year, and that all products will have been shipped. The company have been in negotiation with the Federal Steam Navigation Company, whose boats trade from the western ports of England—Avonmouth, Liverpool and Bristol —with the object of securing one of their vessels to load at New Plymouth every other month. The step was actuated partly for the reason that there is a fair proportion of the company’s meat which is more suitable for the above markets than for London.

Owing to the shortage of berthage ac commodation nt New Plymouth the Port Victor, which was to have loaded meat from Smart Road works this week, has been diverted to Waitara. Space had been allotted on the vessel for 12,000 freight carcases, and of this space for 9500 carcases has been secured on the Waimate. The company had the option of loading the balance of 2500 on the Port Victor at Waitara, but reluctantly had to decline the offer and sacrifice the space owing to the extra expense incurred in railing the meat to Waitara.